Turkey Offers To Guard Afghanistan Airport After NATO Withdraws Troops

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Turkey has offered to maintain and manage the airport in the Afghan capital, Kabul, after the United States and NATO member states later withdrew troops from Afghanistan.

However, US officials say Ankara has terms that need to be discussed when the leaders of the two countries meet next week.

Turkish officials said Ankara had put forward the proposal at a NATO meeting in May, when the United States and its NATO partners agreed on a plan to withdraw their troops on September 11 - after 20 years of war defeat the Taliban.

Turkish and US officials have discussed possible terms related to the mission, some of which Washington has agreed to discuss, a Turkish official said.

"Following the United States' decision to withdraw from Afghanistan, Turkey has made an offer to ensure the security of Kabul airport. Within this framework, talks are ongoing with NATO and the United States," the Turkish official said.

Turkey's role in securing airports for international flights could help Ankara and Western countries improve relations.

Relations between the two sides are highly strained over Turkey's purchase of Russian defense systems as well as disputes with European countries over drilling rights in eastern Mediterranean waters.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Monday, June 7 said Ankara's offer of securing the airport in Kabul was dependent on support from allied countries.

"We intend to stay in Afghanistan, depending on the conditions. What are the conditions? There is political, financial, and logistical support. If these conditions are met, we can remain at Hamid Karzai International Airport," Akar said, as quoted by the ministry he leads.

US officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they welcomed Turkey's proposal, but Ankara asked for too many "supportive" aspects from the US for the mission.

The officials also cited some US concerns about whether Turkey could be relied on.

The doubt was based on the fact that they disagreed on several matters. However, they say Washington will find a way to resolve it.

NATO leaders will discuss Afghanistan at their meeting on Monday, June 14. On that occasion, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to meet Joe Biden for the first time since the US president took office.

Turkey's airport security plan may be a rare opportunity to build goodwill amid efforts to resolve a dispute over Turkey's purchase of Russian S-400 missile defenses that led Washington last year to impose sanctions on Turkey's arms industry.

The US and Turkey are also at odds over US support for Syrian Kurdish fighters, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the US court case against a Turkish state bank.